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Digital ads are one of the greatest positive-sum technologies of the 21st century. Google Search has 4 billion users, and they make on average $40 per user per year. This type of business model couldn't exist without ads; Google cannot find 4 billion people who would pay $40 for ad-free search.

Ads enable a powerful technology to become a global utility. They are the great equalizer: even the poorest user can pay for the service with their attention.

Digital ads have better targeting and attribution. Well-targeted ads cost more, meaning that more marketing dollars are exhausted on fewer ad impressions. A world where you see half as many ads because they are twice as relevant is a world in which everybody is happier.

Yes, there are lazy and bad ways to do ads. One of the worst things companies can do is to show ads to already-paying customers. This happens most often when consumers have no alternative to a monopoly.